Parking Garage Schwanenweg

Wendlingen

structural engineering Services

herrmann+bosch architekten Architect

Pioneering parking garage in reversible timber construction

Project

Completed in 2024, Germany’s largest timber multi-story parking facility is located in Wendlingen. Thanks to its direct proximity to the train station and the highway, the building is a park & ride hub for the region, promoting environmentally friendly mobility. It offers parking spaces for 350 cars, 100 bicycles, 56 bicycle boxes, ten e-bike charging stations and a bicycle service station. Repurposing and adaptive reuse options were considered in the design in anticipation of a future with fewer cars. This concept considers a gradual conversion and transformation of the hub to accommodate changing mobility needs. The innovative, functional building has been designated an official IBA 27 project in the greater Stuttgart area.

The climate-conscious, column-free construction with a central ramp system allows for flexible repurposing options

STRUCTURE

Instead of the typical steel or concrete structure found in parking garages, this building is predominantly constructed using cross-laminated timber (CLT) floors and glulam columns and beams. Only the ramps and stairwells are made of concrete for fire protection purposes. The floor slabs are finished with mastic asphalt. To meet modern demands for driving comfort, safety, and flexible parking arrangements, column-free parking spaces have been incorporated. This allows for a clear span of 16 meters for the glulam beams. The glulam beams have a height of 108 cm. Lateral bracing is provided by two stairwell towers, which are anchored into the foundation slab. The floor heights of at least 2.35 meters enable an easy conversion of the parking structure into residential or commercial spaces, which would a sunlit courtyard in lieu of the ramps.

The parking garage as the material warehouse of the future

CIRCULAR TIMBER CONSTRUCTURE

Measured by volume, the parking garage consists of one-third concrete and two-thirds wood, with a total of 2,400 m³ of timber used. It was designed as a single-material construction, avoiding the use of composite materials. All connections were executed using only screws or interlocking joints, making it easy to dismantle the structure and reassemble it at a different location. By minimizing the use of CO₂-intensive materials like steel and concrete and predominantly utilizing timber, significant amounts of CO₂ were saved.